Harry And Meghan Confirm They Will Skip UK Visit For Diana Statue Unveiling Party

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle won’t be setting foot in the United Kingdom anytime soon—not even for the landmark party, which is slated to be hosted at the Kensington Palace on Oct. 19, in honor of the late Princess Diana.

The following news was confirmed by a spokesperson for the Sussexes to The Telegraph.

Harry jetted back home for a low-key unveiling of late Diana’s statue in July. The Dukes, William and Harry posed for the shutterbugs at the Palace’s Sunken Garden, however, the patron of Invictus Games’ return for the main event this month appears to be unlikely.

While it’s clear that Harry and Meghan aren’t too keen on making a trip back to the UK for the historic royal event for reasons best known to them, the royal gig is expected to see about 100 guests in attendance. The event is said to host big names from the Hollywood music industry, Elton John included. A few industry experts maintained that their absence would indeed be a loss, largely because Harry would have loved to be around if situations permitted.

On another note, this has been quite an eventful year for the Sussexes, despite Harry and Meghan having made their first major outings only last month since stepping down as working royals. The couple was photographed on a three-day trip in New York, where they campaigned for vaccine equity. The event’s grand reception faced a delay owing to the protracted lockdowns and restrictions due to the pandemic, reported Daily Star.

Harry and Meghan are currently settling into their lives at an A-list neighborhood in Montecito, California. While there were rumors about the Duke and Duchess wanting their baby daughter to get christened by Queen Elizabeth, insiders in the Sussexes’ friend circles have now refuted the speculations.

Reports indicate further travels to the East Coast for the Duke in November, as he will be presenting the inaugural Intrepid Valor Awards to felicitate five service members, veterans, and military families “living with the invisible wounds of war” at the Intrepid Museum's 2021 Salute to Freedom Gala, Hello! reported.